Thursday, August 18, 2016

Bedside Tables and A pretty Courtyard

Good morning my friends! My kids have both left early for school so I thought before I get stuck into work, I'd share some recent pieces.


Firstly I wanted to show you Kim's courtyard. She recently bought a lovely ornate coffee table that I painted had white using a paint that is perfect for outdoors. Kim has used the coffee table to create a very pretty outdoor setting. The chairs are from Kmart, how nice do they look? Seeing this setting makes me wonder why I didn't keep the table myself. I could sit there and drink coffee all morning :)


beautiful outdoor setting furniutre by lilyfield life

These bedside tables that I finished yesterday are pine and not particularly old but I liked their shape, especially the beveled edge to the drawer front. 

ASCP Custom mixed grey; hand painted furniture by lilyfield life

ASCP Custom mixed grey; hand painted furniture by lilyfield life

ASCP Custom mixed grey; hand painted furniture by lilyfield life

These have been painted in a very pale grey that I mixed using ASCP Chalk Paint and I've waxed and buffed till they shine. Lots and lots of sanding on these to get a beautiful smooth finish.
Sometimes simple things are the best. 

62w x 45dx 66h cm
$385 the pair.
Pick up Lilyfield


I have some other pretty pieces coming up later today (listed tonight on IG and Facebook). I love these pieces together and think you could create a room around them.  Pieces like these really thrill me as you see the details emerge as you add paint. When they were dark timber you couldn't appreciate any of that scrolliness (I'm sure that's a word!)
These only have one coat of paint on them below but as soon as I finish typing this post, I'll be starting work on them again.


hand painted furniture by lilyfield life

Enjoy your day
Fiona xx


ASCP Custom mixed grey; hand painted furniture by lilyfield life

ASCP Custom mixed grey; hand painted furniture by lilyfield life

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Mixing Greys and small chest of drawers

mixing greys with ASCP Chalk Paint

I've been having a lot of fun mixing my own colours rather than using the paint it of the can. I love ASCP Paris Grey but sometimes find it too blue for the look I want. French Linen is also lovely but sometimes too green based for you you may want. The best thing then is to start mixing paint! I created this lovey neutral tone grey by using ASCP Paris Grey, French linen, Old White and a little Duck Egg. Perfect for these small handy drawers. 

mixing greys with ASCP Chalk Paint

mixing greys with ASCP Chalk Paint


Don't the drawers look lovely with the orchids from my garden. It's a bumper crop this year. They do say treat orchid meanly. It's certainly working :)

orchids

I have lots of lovey painting pieces to share this week and some more photos from around home.  We've had a busy few weeks with sick kids, Phil splitting his head open and needing lots of stitches and our gorgeous girl turning 13 earlier this week. People keep telling me horror stories of their lovely girls turning feral at 13. I can't imagine it happening with her but touch wood :)

Pop back tomorrow for a new post. 
Hope you are still reading.
Fiona xx

mixing greys with ASCP Chalk Paint


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

French Console and Adding Patina

Good morning! I've been up early this morning as Sasha is sick - I suspect it's tonsillitis and will take her to the doctor this morning. Poor girl. She's so uncomplaining and lovely even when feverish and in pain.  I wish I could say she gets it from me :)


Adding patina to painted furniture for a french look by Lilyfield Life

I finished this little French console yesterday. I'm very happy with how it turned out. I wanted to get a similar finish to an old french console that I saw recently. That old European patina that you see - it sometimes looks like burnished stone even.

adding old world french patina to furniture Lilyfield Life

I used a pale taupe chalk paint for the base coats and then added layers of clear and dark wax and white chalk paint to add patina. Loosely highlighting areas that were raised to add dimensions.  I am really happy with the end result.

Here are some tutorials I wrote about adding patina




adding old world french patina to furniture Lilyfield Life

The console is sold pending but drop me a line if you are interested.

adding old world french patina to furniture Lilyfield Life

On the weekend we celebrated my niece's 18th birthday at my sisters. I thought these photos were pretty to share. 


 
Well I had better coffee up for the day ahead. Hope you have a good one (and the my girl gets better)
Fiona xx

Thursday, August 4, 2016

American navy blue serpentine drawers

navy blue painted serpentine drawers by Lilyfield Life

I finished these drawers last week and was just so happy with how they turned out. I can be fairly critical of my own work but I was thrilled with the finish and even sheen on these. 

To be honest I could have easily sold these unpainted as they only needed a really good polish and a few touch ups but I had a customer see them while she was picking up other furniture and she fell in love with them and asked for them to be navy.


Looks like 12 drawers but it's actually 9 as the bottom row is double depth which offers wonderful storage for bulky items.



This gorgeous dresser comes with such an interesting history. The man I bought it from was the finance advisor for the Australian embassy in Washington DC in the 80's. Because he was so senior, he and his wife were allocated a huge beautiful house filled with lovely furniture. When they returned to Australia, they were offered the furniture as well. Who could say no? Fast forward many years, they are now downsizing and along I came with my trusty paintbrush and some beautiful navy blue paint. 


navy blue painted serpentine drawers by Lilyfield Life

I only have a few bad photos of this as found the navy quite hard to captrue in my relatively dark studio. These drawers are quite big and high - 1.6m long). They looks smaller in the photo above 

navy blue painted serpentine drawers by Lilyfield Life

The brass handles came up beautifully with some polish - I love the brass against the navy. Very ambassadorial - so fitting for this pieces history.


navy blue painted serpentine drawers by Lilyfield Life

Pieces like this are hard for me to let go of. We actually have the matching nightstands to this (that I bought from a guy from New York and painted white years ago). Sasha says she wants her own house so she can furnish it all with my work. My own little fan club :) Although I never want her to move out of home.

navy blue painted serpentine drawers by Lilyfield Life

I thought I'd also share my orchids that are now blooming. These were my mum's and before that my grandfathers. 'They are now over 50 years old and I have such beautiful memories of my grandad pottering in his orchid house. So grateful they are still blooming.  there are lots more fronds about to burst so i think it's going to be a good year for them.


Have a good day.
Fiona xx


Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Mirror mirror on the wall.

I've had a lot of beautiful mirrors recently. I really love to give old mirrors a makeover. Such a nice relaxing thing to do and there's always room on your walls for one more mirror :)



These two mirrors were almost identical and so beautiful that i decided to just refreshen up the gold. This finish is a lovely muted gold that i can European gold. Not garish at all and lots of patina.


This mirror below was timber and sourced from a vintage dressing table. I painted in it ASCP Old White and used dark wax for patina.



This mirror below was very old and huge. I sold it to my friend for her shop. I had so many people wanting to buy this one. Gorgeous beveled edge.


The mirror below was a little french plaster mirror. Very sold and some damage to the plaster so I gave it a grungy look with layers of grey paint and dry brushing. It's actually quite therapeutic to paint like this and let the piece evolve.


The mirror below came out of the American Consulate and is a vintage drexel mirror with beautiful beveled edge. I added the embellishments and painted it all in a gorgeous taupe chalk paint with white details and a limed finish.


and the mirror below is one for me to keep - for a while at least. It's an antique french mirror and I am in love with it. I have plans to hang it in our upstairs hallway. in the meantime it can sit in the corner of my dining room and look pretty.


which is your favourite? 

Fiona xx

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

French Style Cabinet - Lilyfield Life


We are well and truly settled back home after our holidays. It seems a while ago now but I've still got a tan and some peace of mind :)  Back in to the painting as soon as I was home and it's been a productive couple of weeks. One piece I finished was this lovely shaped cabinet that I bought from a lady who was heading overseas. She had owned it for many years and it was a reluctant sale but I've given it a new life with paint and Debbie who bought it from me loves it - and so on it goes to a new home.




I painted the exterior in ASCP Old Ochre and then painted the detail with white. It just adds a nice little contract and sets off the old ochre.  I also gently distressed this piece and used a dark wax to add some age and authenticity.



I love interiors that pop so I used a mix of blues and duck egg paint that I had left over and painted the inside. I sealed this with a poly so it's easy to wipe clean.



The handles and the key for this piece are just so lovely.


A great little storage piece.

I have some beautiful pieces coming up this week so follow me on instagram or facebook - Lilyfield Life.

yours in paint
Fiona xx